Trudy Sowar has more than 30 years experience with Georgia public schools.
Ms. Sowar is the former Georgia School Boards Association Director of Risk Management Services and Director of Superintendent Search Services, beginning her tenure at GSBA in January 2008 until July 2017. Prior to arriving at GSBA, Ms. Sower retired as an educator in December 2007, after eight years as Superintendent of the Paulding County School District.
She began her career in education as a paraprofessional. Since that time, she has served as a teacher, principal, operations supervisor, executive assistant with curriculum and instruction, executive director of middle schools, and executive assistant to the Superintendent.
In 1996 Ms. Sowar joined the Paulding County School District as Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and was appointed Superintendent in 2000. She was named the first-ever Outstanding Superintendent of the Year by the Georgia PTA.
Ms. Sowar has served as President of the Georgia School Superintendents’ Association. She was on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders and served on the Governing Board of the American Association of School Administrators.
In 2006, Ms. Sowar was presented with the Bill Barr Leadership Award, named in honor of Dr. Bill Barr, the first executive director of the Georgia School Superintendents’ Association. The award is designed to honor exceptional superintendents who possess the unique ability to mentor, to teach and to lead others in their pursuit of excellence in public education.
Ms. Sowar currently serves on the Carroll County EMC Foundation Board where she is in her third year as chair.